6x04 The Substitute: Ginger Ale Talk

Mysterious Boy
SUSAN: So, Little Boy Blonde - we’re gonna go with young Jacob on this one, no?
RACHEL: That was my reaction.  But I’ve heard another interesting theory - that maybe it’s Aaron?
SUSAN: Well that would be interesting.  And why can Sawyer see him but Richard can’t?
RACHEL: I was wondering that too!  Maybe it has to do with Jacob’s touch and Sawyer being a candidate.
SUSAN: So FLocke can see him because he’s part Locke?  Also, the first time we saw him, his hands were covered in blood right?  It was so quick, but I wasn’t sure.
RACHEL: Or maybe just because he’s the Man in Black (MIB).  Yes, his hands were covered in blood the first time.
SUSAN: So that’s.. big.
RACHEL: What do you think that means?
SUSAN: Well, something I thought up last night was that Adam and Eve were the parents of MIB and Jacob.  And MIB, Jacob, or both killed them. 
RACHEL: Oh! I couldn’t help but think of Adam and Eve when Sawyer & FLocke first entered the cave and we saw the black & white stone. 
SUSAN: Yes, definitely related.

Jacob’s Cave
RACHEL: So, that cave.  Is that what the Numbers are?  They’re assigned to the Losties that are candidates?
SUSAN: Yes, most definitely. 
RACHEL: Pretty significant that Kate was left off. 
SUSAN: Seems like no women allowed which.. might kind of piss me off. 
RACHEL: That was my gut reaction! That’s why I thought Kwon referred to Jin but the MIB did say that Kwon could refer to Jin or Sun.  Other people also noticed that Littleton and Straume were on the cave walls but crossed off.
SUSAN: Oh yeah? I did not notice that.  Hmm I don’t like that because it hurts the numbers thing. 
RACHEL: Maybe the ones assigned to the Numbers are the real candidates while the rest were all potentials?
SUSAN: But, potentials when?  The numbers existed before they all came to the island.  I know, from interviews earlier on, the numbers were just fabricated but I feel like they may have half-assedly tried to give them a purpose here and I’m not sure it’s working for me. 
RACHEL: Yeah, I think they need to delve further into the Numbers.
SUSAN: I have a feeling this is all we’ll get because the numbers weren’t part of their original plan and now its the hatch serial code and the numbers assigned to a select few.

Protect the Island
SUSAN: So why does the island need protecting?
RACHEL: Well, there’s the time traveling aspect and the healing fountain.  If those “magical” abilities were made public to the outside world, it [the Island] would probably get exploited and abused.  I also think that Smokey is meant to be kept trapped on the island and that’s part of the “protector’s” role.
SUSAN: So do you think the island was created as a prison?
RACHEL: Maybe not originally but based on what the MIB was saying that seems to be what it eventually became for him.  Or maybe always was for him.  But for whatever reason, he can leave with Sawyer?

Women & LOST
SUSAN: I had a thought this morning that made me not like Lost a little. 
RACHEL: Uh-oh what was the thought?
SUSAN: It reaffirms the standard in media that the female role is always as either a love interest or a mother. 
RACHEL: Because of the candidates?
SUSAN: Well, that’s what got me started on it I guess.  I feel like the female stories have been diluted.  In the beginning Kate and Sun had pretty well put together back-stories.  In fact, the whole Sun-Jin saga really focused more on Sun.  But we have the mom, Claire, the love interest, Kate, and I think Sun may get away with having more of a story because she’s a minority.  And I hate to say it, but I remember learning about the idea of minorities being “otherized” in my fem. theories classes so since she doesn’t fit the “standard” of the American female model, she doesn’t have to fit the standard American role.  And after thinking about this, I think Rousseau has now become my favorite all-time LOST character.
RACHEL: I think Rousseau is one of the best characters on Lost too.  I agree that there’s still potential for Sun’s character to do/be more but I think that same potential is there for Claire’s character too.  I mean she’s more than just the pregnant girl/mom now.  We’ve seen her with Christian, she’s been “claimed” and being dubbed Rousseau 2.0.  As for Kate.. well I don’t really care about her. 
SUSAN: Hahahahah I love that.  I hope you’re right about Claire. 
RACHEL: I hope so too.  It would be a let down if they don’t make more out of that storyline. 
SUSAN: Because I feel the show might be going in a direction I really hate. 
RACHEL: Yeah I don’t know.  Like i’m enjoying the season so far and the premiere was great.  And the last two episodes had great moments but I wasn’t sitting on the edge of my seat for each entire episode like I have in the past.  I’m hoping that now that this whole “candidate” thing has been revealed, it’ll pick up more. 

More on the Candidates
RACHEL: I want to see a Jin/Sun reunion!
SUSAN: ooo yes!
RACHEL: A lot of blogs have been speculating that maybe they’re both candidates seeing as that Jacob touched them both at the same time. 
SUSAN: So they are the only ones who can run the island as a team?
RACHEL: Maybe?  Didn’t Jacob say their love was a beautiful thing or something?  It’s possible that he didn’t want to separate them, though it would be messed up if they stayed on the island and left Ji-yeon. 
SUSAN: I was just thinking that. 
RACHEL: I’m really curious about why Kate was left off the list though
SUSAN: Or why she was crossed off?  There’s a lot of holes with this.  I was just thinking, why is Walt not on the list?  Remember, way back, when the Others were all googly over him because he was “different” and important.
RACHEL: True but maybe he was important  for another reason?
SUSAN: Do you think they’ll address why Walt is important?
RACHEL:  I don’t know - they’re not answering as much as I thought they would.  Yhen again it’s only the 3rd episode of the season BUT we only have like 15 or so episodes left.  Do you think they’ll address Walt?
SUSAN: No and I’m upset about it.

Changes in the timeline
SUSAN: This episode, as far as I can tell, is the first time we see the timeline before the crash change in the non-crash timeline.  What a weird sentence.  I mean, in the other stories, we were led to think things had happened exactly the way they had before up until the flight.  Locke is engaged.  To me, that was huge.  So something else changed in his timeline.
RACHEL: I agree.  And they also mentioned his father coming to the wedding, which means his reason for being in a wheelchair is different.  And how did he meet Helen then?  Because they met in an anger management meeting which Locke attended because of his father issues. 
SUSAN: Yeah I’m pretty confused.  Also, didn’t Helen die of an aneurysm?
RACHEL: Yes!
SUSAN: So.. for most people aneurysms are unexpected.  So we’re looking at a death for her right?
RACHEL: John’s timeline is completely different, hers could be too?
SUSAN: Maybe..
RACHEL: I don’t want her to die! I like that they’re together and happy. 

The Man in Black & Locke
RACHEL: Do you think our theory about the MIB (where the MIB and Jacob are two halves of the same person) is still possible?
SUSAN: Maybe? Do you remember the freaky dream Claire had when Locke had one black eye and one white eye? Like, those were both parts of him? OH, speaking of Locke - does FLocke’s “Don’t tell me what I can’t do” moment imply Locke is still in there somewhere?
RACHEL: Yes! OR since the MIB is supposedly stuck in that form now, maybe he’s inheriting some of Locke’s personality traits.
SUSAN: Interesting.
RACHEL: And why is he stuck in that form now?
SUSAN: Is it until a certain point? Like..until he can get “home”?
RACHEL: And I guess home isn’t the temple. 
SUSAN: But he can still be Smokey, just not any other form.

Do they choose Death?
SUSAN: Dogen says the pill won’t work unless he takes it willingly, speaking of the poison pill for Sayid.  But why?  Why would poison only work if he takes it willingly?  And that got me thinking about how people have died on the island.  The marshall asked to be shot.  Boone asked Jack to stop taking care of him.  Charlie knew he was going to drown.  It’s as though death must be chosen. 
RACHEL: Yeah.. except if death is caused by the smoke monster.
SUSAN: That’s pretty violent.  It makes me wonder if there are consequences to Locke being killed rather than committing suicide as he intended. 
RACHEL: Yeah I think so.  I mean there has be something special/different in his case but his death also didn’t occur on the island. 
SUSAN: True but Michael was still be controlled off-island so I think there is still something there.
RACHEL:  I was JUST gonna say that!  But he was supposedly needed by the island? MIB?  And if the MIB was planning to take Locke’s body then he would need him to die. 
SUSAN: But maybe that is why people can “choose” death?